The school holiday period doesn't have to be a time when children's reading and comprehension skills take a break. If you're wracking your brains for gift-giving ideas and summer activities, why not encourage your child to dive into book one of a series? Literacy experts advise that even reluctant readers and children who struggle with reading tend to be more likely to get bitten by the reading bug when they discover a book they enjoy is part of a series. By the end of the first book, the reader is familiar with the style, the setting and many... Read more

How do teachers decide what your child will study each term at school? How do composite or combined classes work? Why do students at different schools seem to be studying entirely different things, despite being in the same year? And what will happen next year, when the new Australian curriculum starts in NSW for both primary and secondary schools? Understanding how the curriculum relates to the real world of the classroom and to your child's daily lessons can help you better support them with their homework and study. It will also help you... Read more

Benefits of team sports If you want your child to grow up to be a confident and well-adjusted adult, then team sports may be the answer. Playing a team sport provides kids with important lessons in personal values. Kids learn that things don't always go their way and that they need to respect their peers as well as referees and sports officials. These experiences can influence them throughout their lives, such as when it comes to working for a boss, or respecting the police or other authority figures. When your kids take part in team sports... Read more

The NSW Government is introducing a new funding model for all NSW public schools that is simpler, fairer and more transparent. The funding model is a key part of a broader education reform called Local Schools, Local Decisions, which places students at the centre of school decision-making. It gives principals and their school communities a greater say over how they allocate and use their available resources to best meet the needs of their students. When fully implemented, schools will manage more than 70% of the state public school education... Read more

The notion of giftedness in children has become part of many parents' conversations. Yet ask anyone what 'gifted' means and the concept remains mysterious, sometimes stigmatised, and often perplexing for parents who think their child may be extremely bright. About 10 per cent of the population is gifted. That is, they are significantly advanced beyond their peers in at least one of four areas – intellectual, creative, social or physical. Those who add skill to their gift are recognised as gifted and talented. Children who are gifted have... Read more

It's Outdoor Education Week – the perfect time to reflect on how outdoor education plays a major role in students' learning, problem-solving abilities and wellbeing. Learning in the outdoors brings together the benefits of formal and informal education and provides meaningful education for 21st century kids. By acquiring knowledge and skills through practical or hands-on activities students learn about consequences, develop resilience, and learn to take risks in a safe environment. Participating in an outdoor challenge or experience can make a... Read more

A new app designed for Android phones and tablets helps students of all ages practise and improve their spelling. The Premier's Spelling Bee 2013 app features almost 3,000 words and corresponding sentences from the spelling competition of the same name. It also and uses Australian spelling and voices. The app features two categories - junior and senior - with a number of levels that increase in difficulty. Most adults would find the high levels in the senior category a challenge. The app is a companion to the free School A to Z app and... Read more

It is now easier to view our website on your mobile phone or tablet. We have created a mobile version of the site with a range of features finetuned for when you are on the move. You can now more easily: dial or email us from your phone locate us via Google maps check our school calendar view our latest newsletter. You can also create a shortcut to our website on your phone home page Try the mobile version of our website now. Just visit from a smart phone or tablet device and follow the prompts.... Read more

Learning how to make time for homework, chores and other activities is a vital skill for all children but it's not one that always comes easily. This weekly schedule template (docx 15 KB) is a simple aid that can help kids better plan their time. Print one for your child's desk, one for the fridge and one for their school bag to help keep them on track. To personalise the template, simply click on the cell you wish to change and type. If you need to add or delete cells and don't know how, read these simple instructions . Using colour-coding... Read more

How do you get your kids to keep on top of their homework? This School A to Z video features teachers talking about how parents can help kids take responsibility for their homework and avoid Thursday night meltdowns. Get more practical parent tips on the School A-Z website.... Read more

School camp is one of the highlights of childhood. Chances are you can still remember some of the campfire songs, the smell of damper cooking and the names of the kids you bunked with. However, it's also true that for some children (and their parents) the thought of staying away overnight can create a little anxiety. It's not uncommon for kids to worry about who they'll room with, ‘being left out' of things, whether something might go wrong, feeling homesick and other understandable concerns. Even the most outgoing and confident child may have... Read more

Research into cyberbullying is still in its infancy but the one thing we do know is the online environment is really just a new setting for age-old issues. Cyberbullying is an extension of face-to-face bullying. It's all about relationships. When are kids most vulnerable to bullying? Bullying – online or offline – peaks for kids (and this is worldwide) at about Year 5, and again at about Year 7 or 8. The first peak coincides with children discovering the power of the peer group, and creating their own social pecking order. The second peak... Read more

Protecting the privacy of personal information is increasingly important at a time when we are sharing more details about ourselves online than ever before. While interacting online can be great for kids, it also makes them more vulnerable. To help reduce the risk of cyberbullying, unwanted attention or breaches of their privacy, you can: encourage them to keep their usernames and passwords safe and not share them with anyone take them through the privacy settings of sites they join to ensure they are careful about what information they share... Read more

Kids and families tend to run more smoothly when there is a clear plan. So the online parent resource School A to Z has created printable homework and study calendars for each month of the year. The School A to Z website and mobile app can also help with common assignment and homework questions. In the Homework and study section you'll find links to useful websites, maths and English glossaries, and help sheets to make homework time easier in your house. Print your homework and study calendar pages for the rest of 2013. If you have ideas for... Read more

Spelling is an important skill but one that can be a problem for many children. However, there are some simple strategies you can use to help your child develop confidence in their spelling ability. What you can do to help your child with spelling: Explain to your child that some words can be sounded out, but not all English words can be spelt correctly by ‘sounding out', eg the words ‘you' and ‘said'. Talk to your child about how you spell, and what you do when you don't know how to spell a word. Encourage your child to write at home on... Read more

A reminder to parents about the operation of school speed zones around the Easter holidays. School zones exist for the safety of children and families; they will operate on Thursday 28 March, then resume on Tuesday 2 April. Forty-kilometres-an-hour school speed zones operate across New South Wales at all school sites on gazetted school days, which are all days the school is open, even pupil-free days. Find out more... Read more

As the 2013 school year got into full swing, Birrong Public School received 22 boxes of new supplies including three listening posts, Bee-Bot bumper mats and software, art supplies, classroom games and much more. We are thrilled to be receiving this new equipment and would like to thank the parents, teachers and local community who got behind the program and sent their dockets in to the school. The new equipment and supplies are an exciting addition to classrooms for our students, teachers and learning environment. It is yet another example of... Read more

Congratulations to the 26 swimmers who represented Birrong at the District Swimming Carnival. It was another strong performance from the Birrong students with 17 swimmers being selected to represent Bankstown District at the Regional Carnival. The students were also well behaved and set a high standard for the other schools.... Read more

Writing essays is a skill many of us have forgotten. But don't worry – here are a few tips to help you and your child, even if you're not familiar with the essay topic. Key points: Determine 'what is the question asking?' Essays follow a specific formula Introduction – state your response to the question and mention the points to be made in the body of the essay. Body – expand on the points introduced in the introduction. Don't introduce new thoughts at this stage. Conclusion – summarise the points discussed in the body. One idea per... Read more

A panel of experts answers the most common questions parents have about how they can best support their kids' school life, study, wellbeing and development. In five brief segments, the experts share their tips on how parents can: help their kids reach their full potential at school and motivate them for learning support their child's social development and handle schoolyard conflict support kids through the teenage years. keep up with the technology their kids are using and how to keep them safe online. Watch the Great start videos... Read more